Automatic phonograph



c. G. JQHNsoN 2,292,564 AUTOMATIC PHoNoGRAPH Original Filed Jan. 11,1939 Patented Aug. 11, 1942 UNITED fs'rAfrllzs- PATENT OFFICE I Auromrlcrnonocaarnf- Carl GL Johnson. Chiu, lli., assignor to J. l. SeeburgCorporation, Chicago, lli., a corporation of Illinois Originalapplication January 1l, 1939, Serial No.

and this application Divided 1941, Serial No. 381,748

8 Claims.A (Cl. 274-10) A further object of the invention is to provideThis invention relatesto automatic phonographs and is a division from mycopending application Serial No. 250,311,1iled January 11,

The type of phonograph to which the present` invention relates and whichis fully' described and illustrated in the aforesaid application, isthat in which a plurality of records are retained above a turntable bymeans of one or more escape-- ment'mechanisms. .The escapementmechanisms are actuated. during the record changing, Uycle so as to dropthe lowermost record which then falls down upon the turntable'where itis played.

The escapement mechanism normally com-j v 15 Figure-2' is a similarviewshowing the upper .prises two essential members, a lower supporting armand a blade which is located thereabove approximately the thickness ofone record. The arm and blade are connected together for simultaneousmovement and during the actuation of the escapement mechanism, the upperblade enters the stack of records above the lowermost record andthereafter the lower supporting arm moves clear of the lowern'iostrecord so that that record aloneis released. The return of theescapement mechanism to initial position returns the supporting arm to aposition below the stack of Irecords and thereafter the upper blade iswithdrawn so thatpthe' next record now rests upon the lower supportingmember and the upper blade is adapted to enter the stack immediatelyabove that lowermost record onl the next/actu;

ation of the escapement mechanism.

Considerable difllculty arisen in connection Iwith escapementvmechanisms of this type in.k

which it is attempted to intermlx records -of different sizes, forexample ten and twelve inch records. When the lower-most record of thestack is a ten-inch record and the record immediately above it is atwelve-inch record, then the upper blade has diiilculty. in functioningproperly. In some cases the twelve-inch record is warped so that theportion which projects' beyond the tenw inch record may actually projectdown'below the upper surface of 'thelowermost ten-duch reci ord. Somerecords arewarped so .as to have, an

incipient .umbrella formation and have caused considerable trouble.deformingan'd jamming the escapement' andsomep times fracturlng therecords.

All! 9,

the lowermost position.

5 other objects, advantages and espsbiuues or the invention will appearfrom the following description of a 'preferred lembodiment thereof takenin conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which:

1o Figure 1 is a fragmentary plan view of my im provedescapementmechanism in position where the upper blade is about .to cleara record of smaller size andallow the sameto drop onto the lower arm; u

blade about toenter below a larger record sup- .ported by a' record ofsmaller .size which rests 'onthelower arm;`

Figure 3' is a fragmentary sectional detail view zo taken on the line3-3 of Figure 2, the record elevating' means being shown in normalposition;

25 mechanism in podtion corresponding to that showninFigureZ;

Figure 5.1i a similar view showing um reordf elevating means ininoperative position with a. icord' of larger size resting upon thelower arm; 30' d A A g ,Figure 6isafragnientarydetail viewshowinsthemanner in which the elevating mechanism is actuated .by a record ofsmaller size.-

Referring to lthe drawing, Figures 1 and 2 35 show a complete escapementmechanism com- I, an upper blade II- prlsing a lower support spacedabove the support l0 by a distance approximately equal to the thicknessof a record.

Thearm Iliandthe blade Il aremountedona 40 vertical sleeve l2 so thatthey can be rotated or oscillated together aboutvthe axis of the sleeveI2.

The upper blade Il -is shown associated with a followermember Il, ,thefunction and. operationk of which is describedin the. parentapplication.

'45 'Ihe follower I3 is pivotally mounted on the sleeve Il and isnormally held away from. the records by means ofaspring I4.- Y

It will be that the escapement -isjlocated to'one side of .a turntableThe principal object o1 the' present invention 50 il. Thus, two orfmoreof the escapement mechais to provide means whereby`a record of larsersize in the second position from the bottom of the stackis elevated awayfrom a mailer lowermost record o as to permit -the upper blade-to enterthe stack clear of the largerl record.

nisms may be located the turntable to i support a stack of recordsmounted above and in alisnment with the turntable Il.

as runydwnbeavm the parent appneaucn.' 5l the turntable I8 has anelongated spindle which projects upwardly beyond the arm I and blade Ilso that it passes through the central openings of a stack of recordsnormally supported on the support I D.

-Means (not shown) are provided for periodically oscillating the sleeveI2 to eiect the deposition of a record from the stack supported on theescapement mechanisms onto the record. It may 'here be noted that thearm IU lies normally in position indicated at I0 in Figures 2 and 6 andin this position the blade II and follower I3 are clear of the recordswhich are' supported exclusively upon the arms I0.

When the sleeve I2 is swung in the clockwise direction as viewed inFigure l, the blade II, being approximately one record thickness abovethe arm I 0, comes into contact with the stack of records at a positionabove the lowermost record and it enters into the stack above thelowermost record. In Figure 1 I have shown the blade II on the point ofentering the stack' above a it entering the stack above a twelve-inchrecord.

It will readily be understood that continued clockwise movement of thesleeve I2 brings the arm I0 clear of the lowermost record so that thisrecord is free to fall downwardly upon the turntable, being guided bythe elongated spindle which passes through its central opening. Themovement of the sleeve I2 is.now reversed so that the arm I0 is broughtbeneath the stack of records and in spaced relation theretoowing to theabsence of the previous lowermostv record. 'Ihis reverse or returnmovement of the sleeve I2 brings the blade II clear ofthe lowermostrecord so that the stack of records is then yfree to fall the thicknessof one record'until it rests upon the arms I0 in the position I0'.

` ten-inch record while in Figure 2 I have shown twelve-inch record arewarped downwardly into the path of the blade II. '10 prevent thesediiiculties, I prefer to provide each' arm I0 with elevating means whichare inoperative when the lowermost record is a twelve-inch record andwhich are rendered operative when the lowermost record is a ten-inchrecord, so as to elevate somewhat the second record from the bottom, ifthat record isl a twelve-inch record.

For this purpose, each arm I0 is preferably provided with a longitudinalslot 2|. Adjacent the outer end of the arm I0, that arm is provided withan inferior recess 22 which conimuncates with the slot 2|. Within theinnermost end of each slot 2|, is pivotally mounted an elevating. member23 which is somewhat elongated and is pivoted near one end within theslot so that it can be swung upwardly, as shown in Figure 4, to projectabove the arm I0 a distance somewhat more than the thickness of arecord. It will readily be understood, with reference to Figure 4, thatthe blade l I can move freely in between the space between the tworecords shown in this gure when the second lowermost record is elevatedin this manner.

Th'e'member 23 may suitably be of oval form. An actuating member 24,suitably of T-shape, is pivotally'connected to the elevating member 23to effect its swinging movement. The actuating member is normallybiassed outwardly and upwardly, as shown in Figure 3, by means of aSpring Zi-Which is connected to the arm I0 at imputer-.end 4and to a.downwardly projecting It may here be noted that the return movement ofthe blade II brings it into engagement with the follower I3, thisengagement being frictional as described in the parent application;v

When the blade II moves into .contact with the. stack ofrecords and isabout to enter above the lowermost record, the follower I3 is arrestedby engagement with the lowermost record as shown in Figures 1 and 2, andthe blade II moves into the stack and clears the follower I3. When thisoccurs, the spring I4 returns the follower I3 to its initial positionwhich is defined by an abutment I9 which engages stops in a standard inwhich the sleeve I2 is mounted.

'I'he element I6, as is fully explained in the parent application,controls the disposition of the player arm, depending upon the size ofthe record, this mechanism being either,manually controlled orautomatically controlled by the member I6. The follower end I1 which isadapted to engage a member I8 to terminate the operation of thephonograph when the follower I3 does not engage arecord of either of thetwo sizes for is intended.

The present invention is primarily concerned with means which will nowbe described for effecting the elevation of a record of larger size inthe second lowermost position from a recordl ofsmaller size in thelowermost position. It will, of course, be understood that any recordsabove the second lowermost are at the same time elevated. l

Ifthe lowermost record on the stack is a teninch record and the recordimmediately thereabove is a twelve-inch record, diftlculties may beexperienced if the marginal portions of the mi underside of the arm I0within the recess 22.

farm 2,6?01.' Jtheactuating member 24. When thus -biassedgfthe arm 21 ofthe actuating member M ,.D

ts upwardly above the surface of the nd is locatedat the outer end ofthe shownin Figure 3. The upward projece' actuating member 24. This pinextends ch side beyond the slot 2I and engages the 4When arecord hasbeen dropped onto the turn- I3 carries a projecting i which thephonograph the .t ble and the arms I I) and II are moving in thecounterclockwise direction, as viewed in Figures 1 and 2. so as to dropthe remaining stack of .records onto the arms I 0, then the lowermostrecord of the stack supported on the arms II, drops downwardy beyond theupwardly projecting arm 21, as will be best seen in Figures 1 and 2.Consequently, the arm 21 is moved into its inoperative position, shownin Figure 5. If the lowermost record vis a twelve-inch record, the

arm 21 remains in its depressed position when I the arm I0 reaches itsnal position which is shownat IIIin Figure 2. If, however, the lowermostrecord' is a ten-inch record, the arm 21 clearsit in the nal position I0' of the arm I 0 (Figure 6) so that the arm 21 moves upwardly into theposition shown in Figure 3.

During the next record-changing cycle, the arm 21 engages the periphery0f the lowermost ten-inch record and the member 24 is displaced from itsposition shown in Figure 3 to its position shown in Figure 4. As aresult, the elevating members 23 are moved out into elevating position.

In the event that the next superior record is a twelve-inch record, it-is engaged by the elevating members-23 and -said next superior recordand the records resting upon it are elevated in the manner shown inFigure 4.

I t is to be noted from Figure 2, that the arm moving inwardly in theclockwise direction. becomes located below the marginal portion oftwelve-inch record while the same is still the arm 21 is limited by apin 28 mounted.

accompanying claims.

' thereon,

Y phonographs comprising an upper and a'lower i vertically and in thedirection oi movement to said lowermost ranged togbebrought .intoactuating engagement elevated by the engagement o! the arm 21 with thelowermost ten-inch record. consequently. even if the twelve-inch recordis badly warped. itwillbeclearofthearmsl.

Although the invention has been described in connection with speciilcdetails oi a preferred embodiment thereof, it must` be understood thatsuch details are not intended to be limitative of the invention exceptin vso far as set forth in the Having thus described my invention,- whatI claimas new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates is:

1. An escapement mechanism for automatic phonograpms comprising an upperand a lower supporting member connected vtogether for simultaneousmovement. said members being spaced vertically and in the direction ofmovement to serve as an escapement for droppin! the lowermost record ofa stack of records resting abutment means on the lower. member peripheryo! a record of adapted to engage the l lesser size-during therecord-dropping cycle, and

elevating means located beyond'said record and controlled by saidabutment means whereby a record of larger size immediately above thelowermost record may be elevated from the lowermost re'cord.

2. AAn escapement mechanism for automatic supporting member connectedtogether for simultaneousmovement, said members being spaced serve as anescapement for dropping the lowermostrecord of a stack of recordsresting thereon, record having a longitudinal communicating with in saidrecess rslot and an inferior recess said slot, an actuatingmember havingan upwardlydirected arm adapted to be projected through the slot abovethesurface of said lowermost member,l a spring biassing said actuatingmember 'to its outermost and uppermost position, means on said actuatingmember preventing an excessive upward movement of said arm, anelevating-member pivotally Vmounted in said slot and normally below theupper surface of said lower member, and means connectsaid actuatingmember and said elevating member whereby the latter is swung upwardlywhen the actuating member is moved inwardly, said slot being located sothat the upwardly directed arm of the actuating member engages theperiphery of a record of lesserl size during the record-changing cycleand effects the movement of the elevating member'to elevating posi- 55ton,said elevating member being arranged to. engage the marginal portionof a record of larger In an escapement mechanism for automaticphonographs comprising a lower supporting so member adapted to support astack of records thereabove and an upper supporting member conne'cted tosaid lower supporting member forv simultaneous movement therewith, theupper member being adapted to enter said stack oi.' 65 records above thelowermost record whereby said lowermost record is released from thestack, in combination, elevating means for elevating larger records onlyin the next to lowermost position in the stack, and actuating meansassociated with said supporting "members for actuating -said elevatingmeans, said actuating means being arthe vrecord discharging movement ofsaid members to 'eect Y combination,

a record of largersizein the .next to lowermost position.

Y 4. In an t m for automatic pbs comprising a lower supporting recordsmember adapted to support a stack of combination,y elevating means -forelevatingv larger records only in the next to lowermost position in thestack, and actuating means associatedl with said 'supporting means7 foractuating said elevating means, said actuating means being arranged tobe brought into actuating engage, ment with ing movement of said membersto eiiect elevation oi a. record of largerv size in the next tolowermost position, said actuating means being arranged to berendered-inoperative by a record o f larger size inthe lowermostposition in the stack.

5. In van escapement mechanism for auto.- matic phonographs comprising alower supporting member adapted to support a stack 'of recordsthereabove-and an upper supporting member said stack during therecorddischarg-l connected to said lower supporting member forsimultaneous movement therewith, the' upper member records above thelowermost record whereby said lowermost record is released `/from thestack, 'in elevating means for elevating larger records only in the nextto lowermost position in the stack, andactuating means associated withsaid supporting member ioractuating said elevating means, said actuatingmeans being arranged to be brought into engagementl with a record ofsmaller size in the lowermost position of the stack during therecord-discharging movement of said members to be actuated by -saidengagement to eiect elevation of a record of larger size in the next tolowermost position.

6. In an escapement mechanism for automatic phonographs comprising alower supporting member adapted to support a stack of recordsthereabovel and an upper supporting member .connected to said lowersupporting member for simultaneous movement therewith, the upper memberbeingV adapted to enter said stack of Vrecords above the lowermostrecord whereby said lowermostrecord is released from the stack, incombination, elevating means for elevating larger records only in thenext to vlowermost position inthe stack, and actuating means associatedwith said supporting member for actuating said elevating means, saidactuating means being arranged to be brought into engagement with arecord oi smaller 'size in the lowermost position of the stack duringthe record-discharging movement of Vsaid members to be actuated by saidengagement to eect elevation of a record oi larger size in the nexttolowermost position, said actuating' means being arranged to berendered inoperative by a record of larger size in the lowermostposition.

7. In an escapement mechanism for automatic phonographs' comprising alower supporting member adapted to support a stack ot records thereaboveand an upper' supporting member connected to said lower supportingmember for simultaneous movement therewith, the upper member beingadaptedto enter said stack of records above the lowermost record wherebysaid being adapted to enter said stack of lowermost record is releasedfrom the stack, in' combination, elevating means for elevating largerrecords only in the next to lowermost position in the stack, andactuating means therefor, said elevating and actuating means beingcarried by and movable with said supporting members, said actuatingmember being arranged to engage the periphery oi the lowermost record ofa smaller size to effect operation of said elevating means.

8. In an escapement mechanism for automatic phonographs comprising alower supporting member-adapted to support a stack of records thereaboveand an upper supporting member connected to said lower supporting memberfor simultaneous movement therewith ,the upper member being adapted toenter said stack of records above the lowermost record whereby saidlowermost record is released from the stack, in combination, largerrecords only in the next to lowermost position in the stack, andactuating means therefor, said elevating and actuating means beingcarried by and movable with said supporting members, said actuatingmember being arranged to engage the periphery of the lowermost record ofa smaller size to effect operation of said elevating means, saidactuating means being normally'located below records of larger size andbeyond records of smaller size, said actuating means beingarranged to bedepressed and rendered inoperative by a record of larger size in thelowermost position.

' CARL G. JOHNSON.

elevating means for elevating

